This invention relates to ground working tools and particularly to an improvement in ground working knives. These are used for opening seed furrows for planting of seed in the spring, and for fall use in fertilizer application. Cutting coulters are used in conjunction with the knife in both spring and fall. The knife is especially adaptable for no-till farming.
In recent years no tillage or minimum tillage farming has become increasingly popular for a variety of reasons. Amongst those are the savings of time, labor, fuel and energy involved with no-till farming, to say nothing of the environmental reasons such as minimized erosion, etc.
While minimum till or no-till farming has its advantages, it also provides certain specialized problems with regard to planting, namely preparation of a proper seed bed. In all planting, whether or not it is minimum tillage, it is extremely important to have good seed-to-soil contact. Good seed-to-soil contact is very important in order to have proper germination and quick starting of the seed. Poor seed-to-soil contact often comes about when the seed furrow is improperly placed in the soil. It may occur because of sidewall compaction of the seed furrow, air pockets in the seed furrow, open seed slots, and especially with no till-farming, trash pinning in the seed furrow. All of these problems, if they occur, are yield robbers.
Another problem which occurs with current seed furrow knives is that fertilizer is often discharged directly on the seed line in the bottom of the furrow. This results in liquid fertilizer such as nitrogen, potassium or phosphorus burning the kernel and damaging the hair roots of the seedling. This is undesirable in that in some instances the seed will simply not germinate, and in other instances it delays start and emergence.
Accordingly, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a knife which may be used with an associated coulter to provide a seed furrow that avoids compacted sidewalls, that allows discharge of fertilizer into the seed furrow but offset from the seed line, and that minimizes the risk of open seed slots and hairpinned residue.
Another objective is to provide a seed furrow which allows planting and fertilizer application in a manner which results in quicker emergence, perhaps a leaf ahead of the normal system at any given time.
Another objective of the present invention is to allow fertilizer application without using extra opening coulters.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a knife for cutting of seed furrows which allows for simultaneous discharge into the seed furrow of fertilizer in an offset manner from the seed line. As a result, increased amounts of fertilizer can be used without fear of burning the seed and damaging hair roots of the seedling.
The method and means of accomplishing each of the above objectives as well as others will become apparent from the detailed description of the invention which follows hereinafter.